ELECTRONIC GREETING CARDS

• US 20110247247A1
• Filed: 04/27/2011
• Published: 10/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Greetings Corporation
• Original Assignee: American Greetings Corporation
• Inventors: Qiao, Tiger, Guo, Jerry, Sapp, David, Marsh, Allison, Mayer, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,189,977 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 40/124.03
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/022 combined with permanently fastened sound-producing or light-emitting means or carrying sound records
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/042 Foldable cards or sheets B42D15/045 and B42D15/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/045 Multi-part cards or sheets, i.e. combined with detachably mounted articles
• CPC Class Codes: B42P 2241/12 Means for enabling the device to be positioned upright
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 1/04 Folded cards
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 1/06 to be erected in three dimensions G09F1/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address

Abstract

Electronic greeting cards include a greeting card with two or more interconnected panels in combination with a digital multimedia player device which includes an electronic display and an audio output, and circuitry which is operative to receive, store and play digital multimedia files and content. The various greeting card structures cover and encapsulate or otherwise house and adorn the digital multimedia player. Digital files are loaded on to the digital multimedia player by a connection to a network, or directly from a data storage device such as an SD card or USB connection or compact flash which interfaces with a port in the digital multimedia player. Pre-recorded digital multimedia greeting card content is either pre-loaded on a portable data storage device, or selected for purchase and downloaded or transferred for replay by the digital multimedia player of the electronic greeting card.

Claims

1. An electronic greeting card comprising:

a multi-panel greeting card body;

a multi-panel insert;

a digital media player device comprising a circuit board with microprocessor;

an electronic display operative to display still images or video, the display visible through an opening in the multi-panel greeting card body;

a speaker operative to generate sound from digital data;

one or more batteries;

a digital data memory storage device;

circuitry powered by the one or more batteries, and one or more pre-loaded digital data files;

a switch operative to initiate playback of at least one digital data file upon opening of the greeting card,

wherein the multi-panel insert substantially surrounds the digital media player device and the multi-panel greeting card surrounds and conceals the multi-panel insert and the digital media player device.

2. The electronic greeting card of claim 1, wherein the one or more pre-loaded digital data files include digital images or photographs.

3. The electronic greeting card of claim 1, wherein the one or more pre-loaded digital data files include a digital audio data file.

4. The electronic greeting card of claim 1, wherein the one or more pre-loaded digital data files include a video data file.

5. The electronic greeting card of claim 1, wherein the switch is a slide switch.

6. The electronic greeting card of claim 1, wherein the switch is a magnetic switch.

7. The electronic greeting card of claim 1 further comprising a USB port.

8. The electronic greeting card of claim 1 further comprising SD card slot.

9. The electronic greeting card of claim 1, wherein the multi-panel insert is made of corrugate.

10. An electronic greeting card comprising:

a digital multimedia player device having a case with a planar front cover and a planar back cover parallel with the front cover, and two perimeter walls which extend between the front and back cover, the case containing;

a microprocessor;

an electronic display operative to display digitally generated images;

a speaker operative to generate sound from digital data which is audible through the case;

a battery power source;

a digital data memory storage device;

a switch operative to initiate playback of at least one digital multimedia file stored on the digital data memory storage device;

a retractable USB port and cable which in a first position is concealed within the case and in a second position is ejected through a perimeter wall of the case;

a greeting card body that covers the digital multimedia player and contains a first opening through which the electronic display is visible and a second opening through which the retractable USB port and cable are accessible.

11. The electronic greeting card of claim 10, wherein the retractable USB port and cable are movable between the first position and second position using a slide lever which is accessed through a third opening in the greeting card body.

12. The electronic greeting card of claim 10 further comprising at least one control mounted on a perimeter wall of the case.

13. The electronic greeting card of claim 12, wherein the at least one control is a reset button.

14. The electronic greeting card of claim 12, wherein the at least one control is a lock button.

15. The electronic greeting card of claim 12, wherein the at least one control is a power on/off switch.

16. The electronic greeting card of claim 10, wherein the retractable USB cable extends out approximately one inch from the case.

17. An electronic greeting card comprising:

a multi-panel greeting card body that substantially surrounds a multi-panel protective insert, the multi-panel protective insert substantially surrounding a digital multimedia player device operative to store one or more digital multimedia files in memory, emit sound from at least one speaker and display video or still images on a display screen visible through the multi-panel greeting card body and multi-panel protective insert;

a retractable USB port and cable which in a first position is concealed within the multi-panel greeting card body and in a second position is ejected through a perimeter wall of the multi-panel greeting card body.

18. The electronic greeting card of claim 17, wherein the multi-panel protective insert is made of corrugate.

19. The electronic greeting card of claim 17, wherein the retractable USB cable is approximately two inches long.

20. The electronic greeting card of claim 17 further comprising a switch operative to initiate playback of at least one digital multimedia file stored on the multimedia player device upon opening of the greeting card.